Page 114 of Lavender Moon

“I hope those are happy tears,” he murmurs into my hair, and I nod against his chest as his hand soothingly smooths down the back of my hair. “Even if they’re not, I’m happy to be the one to hold you through them.”

I don’t answer, except to let him do just that. I breathe in his comforting, manly smell, and keep my face buried in his chest until I get a hold of myself and finally pull away just long enough to look at him. “Why then, did you bring our divorce papers?”

He slowly blinks while taking a breath. “I just brought those in case this didn’t go how I’d hoped. If you didn’t want to take another chance, I wouldn’t blame you, and if you wanted me to sign them, then I would. I wouldhateit,” he’s quick to clarify with raised eyebrows, “but I would do it if you thought it was best for you. But I would always love you, and I would never stop thinking about you.”

This makes my heart shatter, but the pieces quickly magnetize back together as I let out a sob, wiping at the tears that are trying to stream down my face. I take a few breaths, still trying to get my emotions under control before finally speaking.

“I dare you to burn them,” I choke out.

“Done,” he responds before stepping into me and taking me in a beautiful kiss. With his lips pressing gently but deliberately against mine, and his arms wrapped tightly around me, it’s one for the ages. We sway together in the middle of the room to no music but the beat of our hearts and the occasional breath we take between kisses. It feels like a small eternity before we come up for air, but when we do, I take a look around this very beautiful, but very empty space.

“Kaleb… where exactly are we?” I chuckle at myself for only now asking, but take delight in the way his face lights up.

“I’ll show you.” He takes my hand and leads me in the opposite direction from which I came. On our way, we walk past a doorway that has hardwood stairs that match the floors leading upwards. “Those lead up to a private loft,” he says as he tilts his chin upwards but continues to lead me to the eastern-most side of the place, where there’s another doorway that opens up to another space. I get a quick peek as he walks us by it, but he leads us to what must be the front door that leads out into the street.

Once we’re on the sidewalk, he turns me towards the building.

“Look up,” he gently beckons, and when I do, I see a beautiful wooden sign hanging down over the door antique chains with the words Lavender Moon burned into the wood, and painted with shades of purple and gold.

My breath catches and my hand immediately goes the spot on my chest, just below my collarbone, where a tattoo I’ve been trying to ignore for the last few months now beams brightly through the material of my shirt.

“Kaleb, I love this, but what is it?” I ask and shake my head in wonder.

“It can be whatever you want it to be,” he supplies. “It can be an art gallery that features all your work, or you can conduct art classes here…” he trails off, leaving my imagination to soar without limits.

“How did you do this?” The question comes out hoarse as all the breath has left my lungs.

“I sold the auto shop.” His revelation comes out on a heavy breath, and his face is not one of regret but of mild fear as I start to go off.

“Kaleb Shane!” I exclaim, giving him a shove. “Why would you do that?” I demand.

“Because it was the best thing for it,” he fires back, but with an easy grin. “West bought it and is going to take very good care of it. To be honest, I think I did Pops proud.”

I bite my lip as I turn that over in my head. He didn’t want to give up that shop, or was it that he thought he had to hold onto it? Either way, in the end, he made a healthy decision that speaks volumes of how far he’s come. “Okay,” I breathe out shakily. It’s going to take getting used to of course, but Kaleb looks… free. But wait… “Well, what about you? Your tattoo parlor? You could’ve used the money to–”

He cuts me off by taking my hand and pointing towards another set of windows. It takes a second, but I realize it’s the adjoining space we passed by inside. “Right now, is your time,” he explains. “But if all goes well, we can see about expanding and offering tattoos of our work.” He drops his hand and wraps his arm around my shoulders. “It can be yours, or it can be ours. Either way, it’s going to be about you – at least for a while, and that’s not up for debate,” he finishes firmly.

“But why?” I shake my head.

“Because you made this last year about me, and you are my beautiful warrior for it, but it’s your turn. I refuse to live the rest of our lives without giving back to you.”

He steps back enough to level me with a no bullshit look, staring me down hard before a smile finally cracks on my face. “Okay, fine, you stubborn asshole,” I finally concede, and he laughs, lifting me off the ground in another hug. “Oh,” I begin, a thought occurs to me. “We’re in the city. What about Coyote Creek? I love our home there.”

“Well, that’s why we’ll only be open four days a week, and that loft will come in handy for when we don’t want to make the drive back home. Our weekends are reserved for home,” he explains in finality like that settles it. I raise another questioning eyebrow at him and he gives me a coy smile. “I’ve also been taking a business class online, and it turns out I don’t suck at it. I might keep taking them.” This new piece of information exhilarates me so much that I crash my lips down on his. We kiss again for just a moment before he sets me down and releases me to undo the chain around his neck.

“One last thing,” he starts, his face takes on a solemn hue. Sliding the beautiful engagement ring off the chain, he asks, “Since I botched it the first time, would it be okay if I proposed to you again?”

“Yes,” I nod at him, and without a care as to people walking by, he drops to a knee.

“Luna Shane, the truth is that I’ve loved you since we were kids, and it’s never stopped growing. It never will. I’m a better man because of you, and I will never be able to thank you enough for that, but I’ll spend the rest of our lives trying if you’ll let me. Will you please stay married to me?”

“Yes!” I joyfully shout out for everyone to hear, and we’re serenaded by a lot of hoots and hollers from random strangers as Kaleb slides the beautiful ring back home where it belongs. Once it’s in place, Kaleb is back on his feet kissing the hell out of me again, as more cheers and clapping, as well as a few honking car horns, offer their accompaniment.

This time when our mouths detach, Kaleb suggests, “Let’s go christen our new business,” tilting his head towards the pretty brick building and giving me a mischievous grin that takes me back to the day we met at camp. And then I squeak out a joyful yelp when my soldier throws me over his shoulder; both of us laughing as he carries me inside.

EPILOGUE

KALEB

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